Calla High’s sports program is back.

The alternative education site of the Manteca Unified School District recently completed its volleyball, flag football, and basketball seasons, and is currently participating in softball.

“It’s been a good ten years since we last had (organized) sports at Calla,” said Matt Zgonc on Thursday.

He’s in his 17th year at the school. Back then, sports at Calla consisted of a softball tournament in Turlock and basketball games against New Vision High.

“We usually took first or second place in those games,” said Zgonc, who is coaching hoops once again alongside Shane Armstrong.

According to Principal Michele Bryson, all of the sports programs are coed, per league rules. She’s been at Calla for the past 10 years, taking over as the school top administrator about a year ago following the untimely passing of the beloved principal, Dan Beukelman, during the previous school year.

Bryson is thrilled to see a different side of those students involved in sports – it’s all positive.

She recalled one student with a spotty attendance record of a year ago who became dedicated this year in both the classroom and on playing field thanks to sports.

“We’re seeing more kids like that,” Bryson added.

Another teacher is Tara Maruyama, who is currently coaching the Ripon High boys’ varsity volleyball team. She was in charge of the inaugural coed volleyball team at Calla – the team took second place in the Stein High Tournament in Tracy.

Meanwhile, her team played other alternative education programs, including Mountain Vista, Yosemite, Village Oak, and Los Banos. “It was so exciting to have a team with so many really good athletes,” Maruyama said.

Ditto that for Armstrong, who played football at Stagg High under his coach and mentor Don Norton.

His Calla flag football team posted a 5-0 mark this season, led by quarterback Robert Reaves and Jordan Serbousek – “he had scored seven to 10 touchdowns,” Armstrong said of this top the pass-catcher in Serbousek.

Calla with its “shut-down” defense was led by Justin Mogile. He along with Reaves, Serbousek, and Bukari Barrier are among the standout athletes in all four sports.

The Lobos posted a 2-2 mark in basketball led by Serbousek, who averaged about 15 points per game.

Fernando Cortez, who is currently on the softball team, also played flag football after trying volleyball for the first time.

While Calla High is home of the Lobos, the teams usually play and practice on the outdoor blacktop and, in softball, the makeshift grassy field.

Armstrong noted that that his players also utilized the various gyms as well as other facilities in town.

“They’ve used that as a chip on their shoulder,” he said.